Heavy duty tree cutter



2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed June 22, 1951 le 2E FIG. 4

5 l DIRECTION OF TRAVEL FIG' -5 I INVENTOR. WILLIAM MATTSON AGENT April 7, 1953 Filed June 22, 1951 W. MATTSON HEAVY DUTY TREE CUTTER SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVEN TOR.

vvlllYLlAM MATTSON AGEN T Patented Apr. 7, 1953 UNITED STATES lPA"l `lE1N 'l` OFFICE HEAVY DUTY TREE CUTTER` Y p William Mattson,Floodwood,Minn. I Application June 21g, 1951,*seriaifNc. 232,999

This invention rela-tes to means for cutting down trees and has special reference to a heavy duty -device which will fell trees of relatively large Adiameter in a minimum of time. The invention has particular utility in the clearing of land. y

It has'long been a problem to cut trees oil cleanly and close to the ground; usually a stump is left which sticks several inches, and sometimes well'over a foot, above ground level.. For some purposes, it is undesirable to have these stumps sticking up,` yet it would be expensive and impractical to` blast or pull the stumps out .of the ground."V One such circumstance is when land is being cleared in an area where a Water reservoiris to be made to hold the water backed up -by a dam across a river or the like. The trees must all be removed from the land to insure against their being washed into or against the gates of the dam, and the stumps must be kept at an absolute minimum height to permit the use of thereservoir by boats, fishermen, and the like, without the hazard of projections which may damage theboat or snag fishing equipment. 1

These land clearing jobs have usually been rather costly undertakings because the speci-A fications for the job usually include the 'cut` ting .ofthe trees` Within a relatively short distance frqom the ground. 1

VThe common procedure for cutting the trees is touse so-called chain-saw gangs who employ power saws having an endless chain-like cutting blade. The lsaw gangs usually include two or three men who notch the trees and handle the relatively heavy saw and motor by hand to cut through the trees. Bulldozers are usually used `to move the trees out of the area 'tobe cleared. `This procedure requires many men who are paid relatively high wages, and it takes a considerable length of time to cut down the trees from aylarge areaof landyresulting in a high cost for `the pro-ject,'of course. l

1; Itis, therefore, one of my principal objects to provide a faster means for cutting trees close to the ground. j

vAnother object is to provide al tree cutting means which does not require the initial notchslightly one v vay or the other, it being Well knownr` that the common method of cutting down trees 5 claims. (o1. 14a-34) includes notching a tree on the side toward vvnicn it leans, andfthen cutting Vfrom the opposite side of the tree above the notch inwardly toward the notch so` thetree will fall due to its own overbalanced position@A i Another Objectis vto vprovide such a device which can be; usedwith a minimum number of men and `which requires @no extra skill of the men employed to run'the propelling means for the l cutting device.

Another object i'stoprovide a strong tree cutting blade which canbe installed on the front ofa bulldozer, tractor, or the like, with the least modication-of the latter,V and which may be operated ellectively and eiciently by anyone who can operate a bulldozer.

' Another object is to provide a two-sided blade whereby trees may be felledrwith least manipulation of the tractor or other propelling means, as the blademay be run through the tree from either'side. Inaddition, ifan unusually large tree is encountered which is thicker at its base than the width of thesaw blade, a short pass may b e'made with the-blade being run partially.

through the rtree on one side, .and then the propelling device, such as a tractor, may back o'f and engage the blade on the opposite side of the tree and cutit the restY of the way through with another full pass. VVThus, a minimum' ofv maneuvering'is required to fell even the largest trees; i.

Anotherobje`cty isV toprovide a tree cutting device which is of relatively simple yet rigid and strong construction,`whereby least maintenance'is required thereon.

Another object `is to provide a saw'blade hav-A ingaparticular and special tooth construction and arrangement for maximum cutting eiiiciency.

A further object is ,to provide a means for pushing trees over when they have been cut down, so that they fall in a desired direction and do not damage theVv cutter', the tractor, or the operator. .l Y

These and `other objects and advantages will become more apparent `as the description of my invention proceeds. Y Y

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application:

Fig. l is a top, plan View showing a tree cutting device made in accordance with my invention. i 1

Fig.` 2 is anedge view from the line 2-2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4 4, Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5 5, Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a sectional View on the line 5 6, Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line 1 1. Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of my tree cutter and showing the means for pushing trees over as they are cut.

Fig. 9 is a top view of the tree pushing means shown in Fig. 8.

The blade I of a bulldozer is readily adapted as a means for mounting my invention because it may readily be raised, lowered, or held in a desired position by the operator of the vehicle, and, for purposes of illustration, the invention shall be described as being applied to a bull'- dozer blade. Y

However, it is to be understood that the invention may be mounted by other means than that here shown and described without departingfrom the spirit of the invention. y

The tree cutter comprises a pair of blades 2 2, each of which has a saw-tooth cutting edge 3 along one side thereof. The two blades lie in the same plane and at acute angles to each other, the angular relation preferably being from 30 to 45. The blades have their cutting edges disposed outwardly, away from each other, and their cutting edges 3 converging to substantially a point at their forward ends, as shown, whereby a substantially triangular saw device is obtained. The blades of the saw device are preferably made of relatively thick high-carbon steel plate, each o f the blades being made from a strip of plate of suitable width to cut through the larger trees one expects to encounter, and the inner edges 4 of the blades are cut adjacent their forward ends in an angular relation to the saw-tooth cutting edge whereby the inner edges of the blades will abut and may be welded together along the centerline of the angle formed by the cutting edges 3 of the blades, as at 5, Figs. 1 and '7. For normal work in land clearing where trees up to thirty inches Y in diameter may be encountered, I prefer to use about a three-fourths inch tliickness and 'thirty inch width of plate for my blades 2 2, and Iprefer that the saw device be approximately eleven or twelve feet long for mosteective andw eflicient operation. However, it will be apparent that if the device is to be used for cutting only smaller trees, the width and thickness of plate may be reduced, and the blade length may be reduced somewhat as well, of course, but the angular` disposition of the cutting edges of the blades should be maintained between 30 and 45 for best results.

As may be seen from the drawings, the rear end of the vsaw is quite wide, and a V-shaped opening occurs between the inner edges 4 of the blades which diverge toward the rear of the saw. This opening or space between the blades I employ for accommodating reenforcing means for th blades, as will be apparent.

Along the inner edges 4 of each of the blades 2, I have fixed, as by welding or the' like, an upwardly disposed and slightly inwardly inclined nange B made preferably of the 'same material as the blades, the vforwa-rd edges of the flanges being butted together and welded securely as at 'I-. Thereby there is provided 'a beam-effect which rigidies the relative positions of the blades and prevents undue flexing and bending of the blade. In addition, I have provided spaced struts 8 extending between the opposed flanges '6 to frther strengthen the blades to withstand the stresses of being forced through a large tree trunk, the flanges 6 and struts 8 forming a triangular frame of a plurality of adjacent box-like segments, as shown.

To further reeniorce the blades, I have mounted a central rib or beam 9 of heavy duty metal bar or rod material over the longitudinal center-line of the blades, the beam or rib being inclined upwardly from front to rear of the blades, as shown, and being held in position by means of substantially triangular side plates I0, the latter being welded securely in place between the nanges 6 and the beam whereby a strong and rigid housing vis formed hating angularly disposed sides which converge toward the front or forward end of the saw. The extreme outer tip or end I 3 of the housin'g is preferably reeniorced by a housing I2 made of metal plates only, as shown, and the beam 9 ends in rearwardly spaced relation to the tip I3 of the saw, as the beam would be too thickand would obstruct the cutting of the front end of the saw if it extended to the tip I 3, as is deemed apparent. A

As means for mounting the saw on a suitable vehicle, such as a tractor having a bulldozer blade I thereon, I prefer to nx a length of heavy mounting plate I4 across the rear end of the housing, the plate I4 being 'fixed to the rear edges of the beam `Il, housing plates, and to the rear edges of the blades 2 2, thereby providing further reenforcement and rigidity for the blades. The portion I5 of the plate I4 preferably extends above theedges of the blades 2 2 and has openings I 6 therethrough, or other suitable means, to permit the attachment of the plate to the lower portion of the bulldozer blade I. A second portion II of the plate extends above the upper rear end of the housing and has openings, or other suitable means, to permit its being attached to the upper portion of the bulldozer blade, whereby the `saw deviceis carried by and is movable ywith the blade I of the bulldozer.

If desi-red, the mounting plate I 4 may be shaped to fit the contour of the blade as shown, or the plate may be nat. Suitably contoured ribs may be welded to the plate to nll the Ycontour of the blade of the bulldozer and thereby insure a seat for the s'aw device on'the blade, if desired.

Obviously, the saw device could be mounted on the bulldozer blade mountings without the blade being in place thereon, if desired, by providing suitable braces and attachments, not shown, whereby the device may be raised, Iowered, or heid in any desired position for operation.

4The outer edges 3 of the blades 2 2 are provided with relatively large teeth, the teeth being in pairs, the lpairs being spaced apart or separated by relatively wide and deep pockets I1. As will be seen in the drawings, each pair of teeth comprises a front or raker tooth I8 and a rear 'or cutter tooth I9, the teeth'of each pair being op positely disposed or set; that is, in the teeth of one pair the raker is set upwardly and the cutter downwardly, and in the following pair the raker is set downwardly and the cutter upwardly. It will thus be seen thatthe raker tooth of each pair serves to clear shavings or sawdust which are cut by the cutter tooth of the preceding pair of teeth.

The cutter teeth are contoured with arearward and outward arc which is sharpened to an clon-- gated cutting edge 2B extending substantially longitudinally of the blade, the cutting teeth being set sofas to sii-ce through the tree trunks 'to eut a slot `slightly wider than thethickness` of the blade.,Vv In addition, the cutter teeth are longer,v

or extend outwardlyfarther, than the raker teeth of Veach pair.

Thefraker teeth are shorter than the cutter teeth and have their-forward or cutting edge 2| disposed in an angular relation transversely of the blades thickness, Athe angular disposition of,

the'` cutting edge being such that the portion ef the" wood'of the tree trunk which is cut or de` lined bythe preceding cutter tooth may be progressively torn loose and rdirected into the pocket I1 `as the blade moves into the tree trunk, where'` by the Hshavin'gs and l'cuttings are constantly moved and cleared'away from thecutting surfacesgand theblade isfree of compressive resis'tance whichtnight" be otherwise :built' up emerge from the tree trunk, I have dished or beveled'the under side of thewalls of each pocketA as at 22 whereby'the shavings cannot beheld in thev pockets but fall readily therefrom to clear the saw for its next cut. l

' In operaticn, with thedevice mounted-'as above described; the operator of the vehicle to which the saw `is attached will' move the saw to apOsition substantially parallelwith the plane of travelof the vehicle'and wil1 holdsame there. It maybe desired to have a guide shoe 23 (Fig. 8) of a predetermined height mounted on the under "sideof the Abladefadjacent the forward end thereof to prevent thefront end of the blade fromsticlring `into the 'ground as it'is pushed ahead ofthe vehicle, and to lmake it easier for the operator of the. powering vehicle to putwthe blade in its dej sired 'cutting position, I l

s the vehicle movesforward, it is driven substantially straight toward a tree to be cut in such a manner that the tree is engaged by the foremost teeth on one or the other of the blades 2; that is, the tip i3 of the saw is guided close to l but to one side of the tree to be cut so that the teeth of the blade will engage the tree trunk and cut thereinto. Because the saw blades are disposed in a predetermined angular relation to each other, the substantially straight forward motion of the vehicle pushing the saw blade before it causes the saw to cut into the tree trunk at a progressively increasing depth and the cuttings or shavings are carried out of the cut and deposited on the other side of the tree. The cutting by the blade through the tree trunk is very fast, in fact, it is so fast that before the tree can begin to lean and fall in any uncontrollable direction, it will be engaged and pushed forwardly and away from the vehicle and saw by a cable v24 (Figs. 8 and 9) which is preferably mounted `with suitable tensioning means, such as the springs 21 shown, or by a gravity tensioning the .wood v cuttings from the pocket `l1 when the latter mechanism, gnot. -shown,."to-insure uits being able.

to function properly without breaking.

A V'Ihe cable, of course, also protects` the vehicle side of a treeand a, complete pass of the other blade into the opposite side of the tree will sever theA `tree vcompletely andfallow same to be pushed overgby the tree-pushing mechanism; "thereby, a minimum of operations accomplishes` the rel-( quired work in a' minimum brume.

fUsuallyfonlyone offthe blades 2,-,2 is used for: cutting through av;"t`1el'e,`r and'it is deemed aiplllft entV that: my l invention could be used with only, onefblademouted on a vehicle in acute angular;

relents' @the direction" er1-,raver of the vehicie;

however, kI hav'e'here shownY 'and` described my inkv vention withftwo blades,"``asf thi`s lis the mostpractical frln 0f vIlly invention at the presnt'tiine. ,It is to be understood that Ihave herein shown and described one specific embodiment ormy in-f venticin,` and that'l my appendedlclaimsare not,

necessarily'limited specically thereto, but should be' construedas broadly 'as permissible in view` Of'th prior etli'.` I-Iavingthus describedimyfinvention, what I Glamris: l i

ffl. A, heavy duty treescutter for use a self?` propelled vehicle having means forfraisingand lowering an `robjectQcarriedJ thereby comprising: a substantially horizontal` elongated blade having `a leading edge,`,a plurality yof teeth formed' in said leading edge, a rst member having one substantially `straight edge iixed toland extending longif` tudinallyof said blade .inI spaced relation 'to said leading edge torigid'ify saidfblade against flex-f ing, a ,secondv memberlhaying one"ed'ge".iixed tol saidblade and extending' transversely ofthe rearY endvofA said blac'lletov rigidify same and `meansffr attaching` 'said-fbiaae and nst'jmember to said1 raising and lowering" means of 'said vehicle in'at least three non-rectilinearly widely spaced positions so -that said blade is carried forwardly of said vehicle and said leading edge Will be disposed at an acute angular relation to the normal direction of travel of said vehicle whereby the forward movement of said vehicle will force said teeth progressively through the trunk of a tree `when said tree is first engaged by the foremost portion of said blade.

2. A heavy duty tree cutting device for use with Aa self-propelled vehicle comprising: an elongated blade having a leading edge, means to attach said blade on said vehicle in at least three nonrectilinearly and widely spaced positions with said leading edge disposed at an acute angle to the din rection of travel of said vehicle, a plurality of teeth formed. in said leading edge, and means for rigidifying said blade comprising an elongated first member having a substantially straight edge rigidly xed longitudinally of said blade in spaced relation to said leading edge, said member being disposed in an angular relation to the plane of said blade to reenforce same and prevent flexing of the latter, and a second reenforcing member fixed to said blade adjacent the rear edge thereof, said second member being disposed in angular relation to the plane of said blade and in angular relation to said first reenforcing member to pre- 7 vent exinglof said'blade in a -dlrectionsubstantially transversely of said blade.

v3. A heavy duty tree cutter for use with a selfpropelled vehicle comprising: a substantially horizontal elongated'b'lade having a leading edge, means for attaching said blade to said vehicle so that said leading edge will be disposed in an acute angular relation to the normal direction of travel of said vehicle, a plurality of teeth formed in` said leading edge, and a first elongated rigidifying member having a substantially straight edge fixed rigidly to said blade longitudinally thereofin spaced relationtc said leading edge, said member being disposed substantially normal to the plane f said blade to rigidify said blade against ilexing, said attaching means including a second memberv Xed transversely of said blade at the rear end thereof, said second member having spaced means to receive attaching elements, and a third member at the upper rear end of said first rigidi'fying member, said third member having means for receiving attaching elements.

4. A heavy duty tree cuttingdevice for attachment to a self propelled vehicle comprising; a pair of substantially horizontal elongated blades each having a leading edge, means at the rear of said blades for attaching same on said vehicle in at least three non-rectilinearly widely spaced positions 'with said leading edges of said blades disposed in angular relation to each other and in pposed acute angular relation to the direction of travel of said vehicle, a plurality f teeth formed in said leading edges, and means for rigidi'fyin'g Jsaid blades against flexing comprising' a rigid member having one of its edges fixed to said blades in inwardly spaced relation to said leading edges and upstanding therefrom, said rigidifying member dividing said blades 'from each other substantially centrally between said leading edges and being disposed substantially in alinement with the direction of travel of said V'ehicle, and a second member having one edge fixed transversely of said blades at the rear end thereof and in angular relation to the plane of said blade to further rigidif'y said blade.

5. a tree cutting device for use with a selfpropelled vehicle comprising: a pair of substantially horizontal elongated blades each having a leading edge, means for attaching said blades on said vehicle with each of said leading edges dlsposedin acute angular relation to each other and to the direction of travel of said vehicle, a 'pluralit'y of 'teeth formed in said leading edges, and means 'nx'ed to and between said blades to rigidify and strengthen the association of said blades to each lother comprising a housing of substantially inverted v-'snape in cross-section fixed to and between said blades,said husng being of progressive-1y greater Width and height floin the forward toward rthe rear end of said blades, and being located substantially centrally between said blades.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of thispatent:

' UNITED vSTATES PATENTS Number Name Date 352,624 Laughlin Nov. 16, 1886 452,391 Rothgery May 19, 1891 927,612 Stevans 1 July 13, 1909 1,171,603 FoutZ Feb. 15, 1916 1,840,912 MOTI'S Jan. 12, 1932 .2,158,541 'Horstmann May 16, 1939 2,295,458 Edwards Sept. 8, 1942 2,309,223 Staring Jan. 26, 1943 2,336,124 Phoenix Dec. 7, 1943 2,426,694 King Sept. 2A, 1947 2,512,666 Meske June 27, 1950 2,573,573 Jenkins Oct. 30, 1951 2,577,906 Miller et al. Dec. 11, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number VCountry Date Great Britain July 14, 1927 

